Steel 18/8

Stainless steel 18/8 is one of the most used types of steel in the production of consumer goods, as it is a type of steel with a relatively good price-quality ratio. The numbers in the steel designation determine the amount of chromium and nickel contained in percentages (i.e. 18% chromium and 8% nickel). The vast majority of the remaining 74% is iron. The other elements are actually only present in trace amounts.

18/8 steel, which can also be found on the market (or in product descriptions) under the designation stainless steel 302 (or 304), has a higher resistance to corrosion than stainless steel 430, but at the same time it is cheaper than stainless steel 316. As steel 316, 302 (304) is used, for example, for high-quality stainless steel cookware.

18/8 stainless steel intermediates are sold either untreated or electropolished. This type of steel is relatively soft, but if we are talking, for example, about the mentioned kitchen utensils, then we can use it in the dishwasher without any worries (of course, not for products for which it is expressly forbidden or not recommended in the attached manual).

When stainless steel products are scratched, their surface is relatively easy to polish - provided they are not electropolished. If you scratch an electropolished surface, it should go through the polishing process one more time.

Stainless steel 18/8 or 304 has quite a wide range of uses. Of the products for end consumers, in addition to kitchen utensils and eating utensils, it is also used for the production of medical devices, household appliances, various machines and their components, wire mesh or architectural accessories.

From the intermediate products, we can mention various rods, wires, steel sheets or pipes.